Typewriter



Aug. 23, 1932. 5 |$H|KAwA 1,873,766

TYPEWRITER Filed March 26. 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR WITNESSES 69:01; lsh iltau a,

M vi ATTORNEY S. ISHIKAWA TYPEWRITER Filed March 26. 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTCR 0151 BY IQqQi/laura ATTORNEY Aug. 23, 1932. 5 |$H|KAwA 1,873,766

TYPEWRITER Filed March 26, 1931 s Sheets-Sheet a WITNESSES ATTORNEY V a 3, 1932 s. ISHIKAWA f 1,873,766-

TXPEWRITE'R Filed March 26, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 ATTORNEY Aug. 23, 1932. v I s, s wA 1,873,766

TYPEWRITER. I 1 Filed March 26, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR (\gNESSES a w1 azw izwlw M BY Z ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 23, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SEICHI ISEIKAWA, OF LAHAINA, TERRITORY OF HAWAII, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO FRED K. MAKING, OF HONOLULU, TERRITORY OF HAWAII TYPEWBITER Application flledlarch 26,

This invention relates to improvements in typewriters, and it consists of the constructions, combinations and arrangements herein described and claimed.

An object of theinvention is to provide a typewriter having means for issuing a. warning, for example by ringing a bell, when the rear or bottom edge of the sheet of paper being typed upon reaches a position under the platen where there remains only enough room to complete the last line and allow for a predetermined margin at the'bottom.

Another object of the invention is to make provision for relatively large or small bot tom margins, comprising an adjustment in the mechanism by which the feeler can be set to act at various distances from the bottom of the page.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of the signal or warning mechanism and the immediately concerned parts of a t pewriter to which it is applied, the carriage being in a position corresponding to near the beginning of a line.

Figure 2 is a plan view constructed on the same principle.

Figure 3 is a cross section taken substantially on the line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a detail section taken on the line H of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a cross section taken substantially on the line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a detail perspective View of the feeler assemblage.

Figure 7 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the position of the signal mechanism when the feeler is at the forward extremity of the strokes which it is susceptible to.

Figure 8 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the position of the signal mechanism at the beginning of the bell trip release.

Figure 9 is a similar view illustrating the Full release of the bell trip.

Figure 10 is a detail plan view showing the normal position of the bell trigger.

Figure 11 is a similar view illustrating the ringing function of the bell trigger.

Figure 12 is a diagrammatic View illus- 1981. Serial No. 525,555.

trating the action of the reciprocator preparatory to ringing the bell.

Figure 13 is a. detail plan view showing how the bell is rung.

Figure 14 is a detail perspective view of the reciprocator.

Figure 15 is a detail perspective view of the bell trigger shaft.

Figure 16 is a detail perspective view of the bell trip release.

Figure 17 is a detail elevation of a part of the feeler assemblage particularly illustrating an adjustment by which the signal is sounded to denote variable margins.

Typewriters, as now universally known, are equipped with margin stops as well as an assortment of tabulator stops for the general purpose of preserving predetermined margins at measured spaces across the width of the sheet. However, no device for preserving a predetermined bottom margin anpears to have come into use. Some such means is necessary because the typist-has no way of knowing when the bottom edge of.

the sheet is being approached and as a consequence will often unwittingly run so close to the bottom edge as to spoil the otherwise neat appearance of the work.

The herein disclosed mechanism for issuing a warning when the end of the last permissible line of typing is reached comprises a feeler assemblagegenerally denoted 1 (Fig. 3), a reciprocator generally denoted 2 (Fig. 14) and bell ringing means generally denoted 3. The feeler assemblage comprises a feeler 4 (Fig. 3) which works behind the platen 5 (Fig. 2) of the typewriter 6. This fecler consists of a short piece of stiff material of approximately'wedge shape so that the ed e 7 nearest the platen 5 (Fig. can

abut the bottom edge 8 of the paper sheet 9 and work against the resistance of this edge.

A flexible curved leaf spring 10 carries the feeler 4 at the nethermost extremity (Fig. 6). The other extremity terminates at a tube 11 to which it is either secured at 12 (Fig. 6) or in respect to which it is made adjustable (Fig. 17).

The adjustment would occur between the spring 10 and the tube 11. The purpose of the adjustment would be to set the feeler '4 at different positions relatively to the platen 5 so as to produce either wide or narrow bottom margins. T this end the spring 10 is attached to a plunger 14 which fits inslde of the tube 11 (Fig. 17). This plunger has a series of holes 15. Each of these holes is intended to match a hole 16 in the tube 11. A pin 17 carried by a spring 18 Wlll be snapped into registering holes 15, 16 so as to fix the plunger 14 at any adjustment relatively to the tube 11 within range of the hole series.

This arrangement although independently illustrated in Figure 17, may be incorporated in the main showing of the mechanism, it being optional whether or not the spring 10 shall be secured at 12 as shown in Figures and 6. The sheet 9 is introduced between the platen 5 (Fig. 5) and the spring 10, advancing in front of the operator (arrow 19, Fig.5) as the operation of typing progresses.

A time will come when the sheet 9 has advanced so far that the feeler 4 will slip off ofthe bottom edge 8 and abut the latter. It is the abutment which the edge 8 offers that initiates the action of the signal mechanism, and it will be understood that if the slipping off point can be advanced or retarded there will be a corresponding variation in the width of the bottom margin.

For example, if the feeler spring is at its maximum outer adjustment (Fig. 17) the so-called slipping off point would occur at position 20 (Fig. 5). The resulting marin would be measured at 21 (Fig. 5). ghould the plunger 14 be set at the second or third adjustments (Fig. 17), the so-called slipping off points would occur approximately at 22 and 23 (Fig. 5) with correspondingly wider margins.

A slot 24 (Fig. 4) in the lower end of an extension stem 25 slidably receives the cross head or trigger 26 (Fig. 6) of the feeler tube 11. This trigger is pressed upon by a light spring 27 (Fig. 5) which abuts a pin 28 on the side of the stem 25 which the spring encircles.

A frame 29 (Fig. 1), secured to the typewriter carriage 30 as at 31, includes a bracket 32' (Fig. 1) with bearings 33 in which the stem 25 is slidable. It was recently stated that the trigger 26 is slidable in the slot 24 of the stem 25. This relative sliding occurs only for the freeing of a bell trip release 34 (Fig. 1). Otherwise the feeler tube 11 and stem 25 remain fixed together, the foregoing sliding of the stem 25 in the bearings 33 being accompanied by a corresponding sliding of the tube 11 in other bearings 35, 36 (Fig. 1) extending out from the frame 29.

A spring 37 (Fig. 1) has points of connection with an arm 38 on the stem 25 and an arm 39 on one side of the bearing 35. Since the bearing is fixed, it follows that the tendency of the spring 37 is to always keep the stem 25 and its attached tube 11 down. Consequently, the feeler 4 is pressed forwardly (Fig. 3) around the platen 5. The tension of the spring 37 keeps the edge 7 (Fig. 5) of the feeler pressed against the bottom edge 8 of the sheet 9 when enough of the sheet has been typed upon to enable the engagement.

A guide 40 (Fig. 2) causes the feeler 4 to follow the curvature of the platen 5 during the reciprocations which the feeler assemblage performs during the operation of the typewriter 6. This guide is attached at its upper end (Fig. 3) to some part of the car riage, for example to a tabulator rack 41 as at 42. The lower and forward end of the guide is appropriately attached to some other part of the carriage, for example to the paper scale 42 as at 43. A slot 44 (Fig. 6) in the nether side of the feeler 4 receives the guide 40, and it is at this point of connection of the feeler with the guide that the former rides upon the latter during said reciprocating motion. The guide comprises a flexible leaf spring which in part is bent to the contour of the platen 5, hence keeps the feeler 4 against the surface of the platen.

Reciprocations are imparted to the feeler assemblage during the operation of the typewriter in order to bring the feeler 4 into engagement with the bottom edge 8 (Fig. 5) of the sheet 9 when said edge reaches a predetermined position under the platen 5, in the following manner: The reciprocator 2 (Fig. 14) includes an inclined bar 45 along which a roller 46 rides. The roller is revolubly carried by the feeler assemblage, more specificaL ly by the stem 25. The inclined bar 45 is fixedly bracketed upon a shaft 47. This shaft is slidable in bearings 48 (Fig. 1) which form part of the frame 29. One of the bracket arms 49 serves as a stop against one of the bearings 48 (Fig. 7), thus limitin the sliding motion of the reciprocator to t e right by tension of a spring 50 attached to the arm 49 and to a convenient part of the carriage. The other bracket arm 51 operates the bell ringing means.

The bell trip release 34 (Fig. 1) comprises a metallic piece which slidably occupies a transverse slot 52 (Fig. 5) in the stem 25. The slot 52 is in the rear part of the stem, and it traverses the slot 24 in which the trigger 26 rides. The trip 34 has a notch 53 (Fig. 16) which provides a corner to rest against the left side of the trigger 26 and normally keeps the lug 54 (Fig. 2) of a trigger shaft 55 out of operating range of the bracket arm 51.

To make this part of the construction clear, the normal setting of the trip 34 is that wherein the corner of the notch 53 (Fig. 16) engages the side of the trigger 26 (Fig. 1) The light spring 27 bears on the trigger 26' with sufficient pressure to keep the trip in place. In other words, the spring 27 causes the trigthe feeler 4.

- 4 there is nothing iii-5 to the last line position U sheet as it did before.

5 lug 5a stands line, the right bracket arm 49 will engage the right bearing 48 of the frame 29 (Fig. 7). This limits the action of the spring 50. The abutment 62 then departs from the stop 5 63 and does not re-engage the stop until the carriage is returned to the starting point of another line.

The whole purpose of the operation thus far explained is toproduce reciprocations of The raising movement occurs when the carriage is moved to the right and the lowering movement when the carriage is the left. As long as there is a remaining part of the sheet 9 under the feeler for'the edge 7 of the feeler 4 (Fig. 5) to bump against. Consequently the reciprocations of the feeler keep up unimpeded while the greater portion of the sheet is being typed upon.

But when the bottom of the sheet 15 approached there will be a timewhen the feeler 4 (Fig. 5) meets the bottom edge 8 of the sheet 9 in .the forward part of its reciprocation. Assume the operator to be typing next 74 (Fig. 5). The adjustment of the feeler 4 is such that when the carriage 30 is returned (moved to the limit to the right) to start this line the feeler 4 will slip off of'the edge 8 (Fig. 5) so that the w edge 7 of the feeler will abutthe edge 8 of the sheet.

As the typing of the next to the last lme rogresses the feeler 4: will be stopped by the edge 8, instead of sliding smoothly across the This checking of the feeler 4 1s enou h to raise the tube 11 and 75, Fig. 9), freeing the trip release 34 against the tension of the light spring '27. The trip 34 (Fig. 8) belng thus released is pulled to the right in the transverse slot.52 by the spring 59 (arrow 76,

Fig. 9). y

This pull is transmitted to the trigger shaft (arrow 77, Fig. 9 The lug 54 departs from its original position near the bearing (Fig. 7) and assumes a position near the ri ht bearing 61 (Fig. 9). At the same time the dog 65 slips past the clapper 66 (dotted ,lines Fig. 11) and assumes an advanced position at the right of the clapper.

lVhen the end of the next to the last line is reached the operator throws the carriage to the right to begin the last line. Now the in the way of the bracket arm 51 and as the reciprocator shaft 47 moves to the left as it did before the arm 51 engaged the lug 54 (Fig. 12) it pushes the shaft 55 to the left toward its origina position, and in as doing so causes the dog to flip the clapper 66 (dotted lines Fig. 13) and ring the bell 13. The leftward pull on the shaft 55 extends to r the trip 3% through the medium of the strand 56. The trip is thus simultaneously returned to its original set position wherein the left shoulder of the notch 53 engages the side of the trigger 26 (Fig. 7)

The operator hearing the bell will know that the last line has been reached. After the typing of that line has been com leted the sheet 9 should be taken out. A uni orm margin 21 (Fig. 5) is thus preserved.

While the construction and arrangement of the improved typewriter is that of a generally preferred form, obviously modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

I claim e 1. In atypewriter having means to cause successive movements of a sheet therethrough a signal mechanism, reciprocatory feeler means, and means actuated by the feeler means when one of its movements is resisted by a transverse sheet edge to initiate the operation of the signal mechanism.

2. In a typewriter having a carriage and a platen with means to cause successive movements of a sheet through the typewriter, feeler means bearing toward the platen hence engaging the sheet, means to reciprocate the feeler -means during the movements of the carriage, a signal mechanism, and means actuated by the feeler means upon resistance of its reciprocation by a transverse sheet edge passing under the feeler means to operate the signal mechanism.

3. In a typewriter having a platen with means to cause successive movements of a sheet through the typewriter, a signal mecha' nism, feeler means successively traversing part of the curvature of the platen, and means set in action to cause operation of the signal mechanism when one of the traversing movements of the feeler means is resisted by a sheet edge. v

4. In a typewriter having a carriage and so W a platen with means to cause successive movements of a sheet through the typewriter, a

.feeler assemblage reciprocating in reference to the platen durin the movements of the carriage, said assem lage including a feeler bearing toward the platen hence against the sheet, and a pair of separable elements, a signal mechanism, and a trip held by said elements but released upon separation thereof by the resistance of a transverse sheet edge to the reciprocation of the feeler to initiate the operation of the signal mechanism.

5. In a typewriter having a carriage and a platen with means to cause successive movements of a sheet through the typewriter, a signal, signal operating means on the carriage normally assuming an inoperative position, means actuated by engagement with a transverse sheet edge during a movement of the carriage to bring the'signal operating means to an operative position, and'means on the carriage to engage and return said operating means to the inoperative position and to the next beginning ger 26 to clamp the trip 34 tightly enough to prevent its sliding through the slot 52 until the trigger is lifted.

In order that the trip 34 may regulate the position of the shaft 55 it has a metallic strand 56 that connects one end of the trip 34 with an arm 57 of the shaft 55. A similar strand 58 connects the other end of the trip with a spring 59 which in tuin .-is attached to the carriage. When the notch53 is set in the slot 52 the necessary motion of the trip 34 to accomplish this adjusts the shaft 55 to the left so that the lug 54 stands nearer to the left shaft bearing 60 than it does to the right bearing 61.

In this adjustment of the trigger shaft 55 the lug 54 is out of range of the arm 51. The reciprocator shaft 47 carries an abutment 62 which engages a stop 63 On the margin stop rod 64 every time the carriage 30 is moved to the right preparatory to be inning a new line of typing. Consequently the bracket arm 51 enters the zone of movement of the lug 54 (Fig. 8) but since the lug 54 is held retracted by the setting of the trip 34 it follows that the arm 51 will but barely touch the lug 54 (Fig. 8) and accomplish nothing toward ringing the bell 13.

A dog 65 (Fig. 15) is the actuator of a clapper 66 (Fig. 2) of the bell 13. The normal position of the dog 65 is at the left of the clapper (Figs. 2 and 10). This relationship is preserved throughout the typing of a page and is changed only when the feeler 4 is stopped by the bottom edge 8 of the sheet 9. (Fig. 5) prior to beginning the last line. Then the dog 65 assumes the full line position in Figure 11.

A light spring 67 keeps the dog 65 over against a stop 68 adjacent to its pivotal point 69. A bracket 70 (Fig. 1), affixed to the rack 41, carries the bell.

The 0 eration is as follows :Assume the sheet 9 Fig. 5) to have been freshly insert ed behind the platen 5 as at the beginning of the typewriting operation. During the greater part of every back and forth movement of the carriage 30 in the typing of the succeeding lines all of the signal mechanism remains at rest. Reciprocations of the feeler assemblage 4, 11, 25 occur with every movement of the carriage, but they are confined to the end of the movement of the carriage to the right as in beginning a new line, and of the carriage to the left as in typing that line. Thereafter every part of the signal mechanism is at rest.

The margin stop 63 (Fig. 1) stands in the path of the abutment 62 (Fig. 2). )Vhen moving the carriage 30 to the right (Fig. 1) to begin a new line of typing the abutment 62 will strike the stop 63 and cause a movement of the reciprocator shaft 47 to the left (arrow 71, Fig. 8). This shaft then slides in its bearings 48 (compare Figs. 7 and 8).

relatively to the feeler assemblage, it follows that the inclined bar 45 will displace the roller 46 upwardly (Fig. 8). This raises the feeler 4, tube 11, stem 25 and trip 34 as an entirety. This raising movement constitutes one stroke of the reciprocations of the feeler assemblage. The purpose of this stroke is to drag the feeler 4 (Fig. 3) backwards over the paper-against which it is kept by the guide 40. In other words, this stroke is what causes the element 4 to feel for the bottom edge 8 of the sheet 9.-

Reverting to the margin stop 63, the particular moment when this makes engagement with the abutment 62 in the movement of the carriage 30 toward the right depends upon the adjustment of the stop 63 along the stop rod 64. Succeeding adjustments of the margin stop 63 to the left will. cause succeedingly earlier engagements of the abutment 6F and consequently earlier upward strokes oi the feeler 4 This is stated merely by way of incidental explanation because the particular standing of the margin stop 63 does not produce any variation in the operation of the signal mechanism. But when the abutment 62 has once engaged the stop 63 and the roller 46 has been raised as required (Fig. 8), the rightward movement of the carriage 30 will be limited by the engagement of a pawl 72 (Figs. 1 and 8) carried by the frame 29, with the abutment 62 just as it would by the engagement of the pawl 72 with the stop 63 if the abutment 62 did not intervene.

Since this movement of the shaft 47 occurs Thus far in the description the carriage 3O is supposed to be moved to the adjusted limit toward the right for the beginning of the typing of a new line. raised by the inclined bar 45 and the feeler- 4 drawn around in back of the platen 5 (Fig. 8). The left bracket arm 51 has entered the zone of movement of the lug 54, but since this lug is held retracted by the adjustment of the trip 34 (Fig. 7), the bracket arm 51 does not engage the lug but if it does it herely touches.

Assume the typing of the line to be in progress. As the carriage 30 moves to the left (Fig. 1) the spring 50 keeps the abutment 62 against the stop 63. This holds the inclined bar 45 stationary. Since the feeler assemblage is mounted directly on the carriage and the spring 37 exerts a downward pull on the stem 25 it follows that the roller 46 will move down the incline (arrow 73, Fig. 1). The tube 11 consequently makes a downward stroke, being connected with the stem 25, so that the Wardly beneath the platen 5. These downward and upward strokes compose the reciprocations of the feeler assemblage.

After the carriage 30 has progressed far enough to the left during the typing of the The roller 46 has been feeler 4 is worked fori ,a transverse sheet edge during a movement of the carriage in the opposite direction to shift the signal operating means into the platen with means to cause successive mov-e.

path of the reciprocator. 7. In a typewriter having a carriage and a merits of a sheet through the typewriter, a

signal, signal operating means on the carmags, a trip connected with the signal operating means, gripping means to clamp the trip and hold said signal operating means inoperative, a reciprocator on the carriage repeatedl shifted toward said signal operating means uring movements of the carriage, and a feele'r forming part of the gripping means, being freely movable in reference to the laten by the shiftings of said reciprocator ut stoppfi by engagement with a transverse sheet edge thereby to separate the gripping means and release the trip for movement of the signal operating means into the path of the reciprocator.

8. lin a typewriter having a carriage and a platen with means to cause successive move ments of a sheet through the typewriter, a

feeler freely movable forward and backward around part of the curvature of the platen during successive movements of the carriage, a signal, and means to o crate the signal when the feeler is stoppe by engagement witha transverse sheet edge.

9. in a typewriter having a margin stop, a carriage and a platen, a feeler bearing against the platen, means tending to move the ieeler in one direction, and means on the carmags being engageable with the stop to move the feeler 1n the opposite direction.

10. In a typewriter having a margin stop, a carriage and a platen, a feeler bearing against the platen, a spring connected with a part of the feeler and a part of the carriage tending to move the feeler in one direction around the platen, and means on the carriage being engageable with the margin stop to move the feeler in the opposite direc* tion around the platen.

11. In a typewriter having a carriage and a platen, a feeler mounted on the carriage, means acting by the movements of the carriage to reciprocate the feeler, and a guide attached to the carriage and supporting the feeder against the platen.

'12. In a typewriter having a margin stop,

a carriage and a platen, a feeler bearing against the platen, a support by which the feeler is carried, a reciprocator for the feeler comprising ashaft mounted on the carriage, anabutment on the shaft engageable with the margin stop during a movement of the carriage, and an inclined-bar to act on the support and move the rection.

feeler in the opposite di- 13. In a typewriter, a signal, actuating means for the signal including a shaft, a lug on the shaft, a trip connected with the actnating means, aspring pulling on the trip, clamping means gripping the trip to resist the pull, a reciprocator riodically movable toward the lug, and a 22m to separate the clamping means and release the trip causing the spring to advance the lug into the path of the reciprocator'.

14. In a typewriter, a feeler and connected plunger having a series of holes, a tube containing the plunger and having a hole, re- 7 silient means attached to the tube, and a pin carried by the resilient means to occupy matching holes.

15. A carriage adapted to be moved in one direction, a platen adapted to be moved independently of the carriage in another direction to advance a sheet in respect to the carriage, and a signal mechanism; feeler means partaking of a change in position in reference to the trailing edge of the sheet as the carriage proceeds with its movement, and means which is actuated upon the obstruction of the feeler means during its act of changing position to cause the operation of the signal mechanism.

16. A carriage adapted to be moved back and forth in alternately opposite directions, a platen adapted to be independently moved in a different direction in respect to the carrings and periodically change the position of a sheet, and a signal mechanlsm; feeler means making advancing and retreating movements respectively in reference to the trailing edge of the sheet during said alternate movements of the carriage, and means actuated upon the arrest of one of the movements of the feeler means by contact with said trailing edge to cause the operation of the signal mechanism. 7

17. A typewriter carriage freely movable in one direction toward the starting position of a line of typing and subject to a step moion in the opposite direction during the typing of the line, a platen movable in a different direction to feed a sheet in reference to the carriage, and a signal mechanism; feeler means shifted in opposite directions respectively across the platen in consonance with the alternate movements of the carriage to feel for the trailing edge of the sheet, and means actuated by the arrest of movement of the feeler means upon abutment with the trailing edge to cause the operation of the signal mechanism.

18. A carriage adapted to be moved in one direction, a platen adapted to be independently moved in another direction to change the position of a sheet in respect to the carriage, and a signal mechanism; a trip which is responsible for the operation of the signal mechanism, gripping means to clamp the trip and keep the signal mechanism from operation as long as the trip is clamped, and feeler means snbJect to a change of position in reference to the trailing edge of the sheet during said movement of the carriage but arrestable by abutment with the trailing edge to displace the gripping means and so release the trip for the performance of its function.

19. A machine having a carriage in alternately opposite directions, a platen on the carriage being movable to advance a sheet in respect to the carriage, and a signal mechanism; feeler means, means to impart alternately opposite strokes across the platen in time with the movements of the carriage so that the feeler means makes a stroke in one direction when the carriage moves in one direction and a stroke in the opposite direction on the return movement of the carriage, and means set in action to operate the signal mechanism when the teelei means is arrested in one of its strokes by being stopped by the trailing sheet.

abutting and edge of the movable t 

